Rebuilding Lives: Recovery After Vision & Hearing Loss

For people who lose their sight or hearing as a result of war or serious accidents, rehabilitation is about much more than adapting to a physical impairment. It can also mean dealing with trauma, psychological distress, changes in family relationships and the challenge of finding a new place in society.

Recognising the need for a more comprehensive approach, the HumanDoc Foundation from Poland, together with organisations from Ukraine, Moldova, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary, set out to strengthen the knowledge and skills of professionals working with people with sensory disabilities.

Learning across borders

The initiative brought together expertise from countries with different experiences of rehabilitation and psychosocial support. Particular attention was given to knowledge from Ukraine, where professionals have been responding to the consequences of war and supporting veterans and civilians living with complex disabilities.

The programme began with online webinars focusing on trauma, PTSD, chronic stress and emotional recovery. They reached 2,323 participants, giving professionals across the region an opportunity to access practical knowledge and exchange experiences.

This was followed by an expert seminar in Košice in May and an online expert laboratory in December 2025, bringing together 61 specialists from Poland, Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova.

Turning expertise into a practical resource

One of the key outcomes was an 80-page publication providing a roadmap for rehabilitation professionals. It brings together knowledge and experience gathered during the initiative and contributes to the development of a model training programme for professionals working with people with sensory disabilities.

The cooperation also opened the door to new partnerships in Ukraine, including with the Rehabilitation Centre and the Institute of Traumatology of the Ukrainian Academy of Medical Sciences. These connections helped expand the exchange beyond the original consortium.

The results were presented at the Polish-Ukrainian Forum in Kyiv in May 2026, creating another opportunity for practitioners to share experience and discuss how the approaches developed through the cooperation could be taken further.

From regional cooperation to European policy

HumanDoc Foundation expert Stanisław Brudnoch contributed to the preparation of a report by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on support for veterans in Ukraine. This created a link between experience gathered through regional cooperation and a broader European policy discussion on supporting people whose lives have been profoundly affected by war.